Loose-leaf binder



June 24, 1941'. B S HL' S ER 2,246,763

tbos'E-pEAF BINDEii 1' Filed Nov. 21', 1938- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24,1941. SCHLQSSER 2,246,763

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed NOV. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 24,1941 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Benjamin 'Schlosser, Chicago, 111., assignor toWilson-JonesCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication November 21, 1938," Serial No.2e1,629

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder and particularly tostructure for facilitating the efficient and economical use of a binderof the type having a pair of hinged back sections and a series of curvedsheet retaining prongs mounted in each of said back sections.

In binders of this general type it is customary to provide latchingmeans for holding the back sections in closed or in intermediateposition. When the latching means is released the back sections may bemoved to fully open position. It has long been known in the art that abinder of this type balanced so that the back sections may be moved fromintermediate position to fully open position with a minimum expenditureof energy is very desirable. This result has been accomplished to someextent by providing means for increasing the effective width of the backof the binder by hinged supporting members adapted to swing laterallyabout the hinges connecting the covers to the back sections as describedin the Martin Patent No. 1,722,812 issued July 30, 1929, or by extendingthe back sections to provide projecting portions extending beyond theplanes between which the sheets are confined.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for supporting thehinged back sections of a loose leaf binder so that they may be easilymoved between partly open and fully open position without theintervention of any extra parts and without adding to the width of thebinder. It is a further object of my invention to provide means forabsolutely preventing rocking movement of the back sections of thebinder when pressure is applied to either cover, as in writing on thesheets, when the binder is in partly open position. Other objects of myinvention will become apparent upon reading the following description,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the binder in closed position;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the binder in partly open position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the back sections open morefully; and

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the binder in intermediate latchedposition.

In the drawings the reference numerals 2 and 3 indicate a pair of backsections connected by means of a hinge 4. Each back section includes abottom wall 5 and a side wall 6 extending at an obtuse angle to thebottom wall. The bottom wall 5 includes a strip 5 of fiber or similarmaterial to provide a neat appearance. A plate 1 secured to each sideWall 6 is provided with a plurality of sheet retaining prongs 8. Theprongs extending from opposite sides overlap when the back sections arein the intermediate latched position of Figure 5 or in the releasedpartly open position as shown in Figure 3.

The back section 2 is provided with a box member 9 and the back section3 with a similar box member [9. A plurality of curved latching bars IIproject from the box member ii through apertures [2 into the box memberll). A locking slide l3 provided with a finger piece 54 is mounted inthe box member Ii! and is adapted to engage notches l5 or IS in thecurved latching bars to hold the back sections in closed or inintermediate latched position. A suitable spring H has one end securedto the locking slide and its other end to the box member ill to restorethe slide to latching position as soon as the finger piece [4 isreleased.

A hinge plate 18 is secured to each side wall 6 in any suitable manner.A cover member I9 is secured to each hinge plate. The hinge 29 ispositioned on the side wall 6 a distance above the bottom wallsubstantially equal to the thickness of the cover member so that whenthe binder is in partly open position with the bottom walls of the backsections lying in a common plane, the cover members [9 are adapted tolie in the same common plane.

In use a plurality of sheets 2! is impaled on the prongs 8. If the useris desirous merely to read the information contained on the sheets hemay open the back sections to intermediate position, as shown in Figure5, and use the binder with the back sections latched against angulardisplacement relative to each other. However, if it is desired to removeand to insert sheets, as in machine posting, the looking slide may bedisengaged from the latching bar and the back sections left in partlyopen position, as seen in Figure 3. In this position the balance of theback sections permits rapid and easy movement of the back sections so asto open the prongs to the position indicated in Figure 4 so that sheetsmay be readily removed or inserted, and to overlap the prongs, asindicated in Figure 3, so that the sheets may be turned from one side ofthe binder to the other,

It is sometimes desirable to write on the sheets while they are still inthe binder. In most binders the pressure applied in writing on thesheets is suiiicient to rock the binder on its back secchanged withoutdeparting from the spirit or 10 scope of my invention. Accordingly, I donot desire to be restricted to the exact structure described, except aslimited by the appended claim.

I claim:

In a loose leaf binder, a pair of back sections 15 hinged together, saidback sections having bottom walls extending angularly to each other whensaid back sections are closed, and side walls extending at obtuse anglesfrom said bottom walls, each of said side walls having a plurality ofsheet retaining prongs mounted thereon, and a latch for holding saidback sections in intermediate position with the planes of said bottomwalls intersecting each other at an angle of less than 180 degrees, saidbottom Walls being adapted to lie in a common plane with said backsections in partly open position when said latch is released, said sheetretaining prongs mounted on each of said side walls overlapping theprongs mounted on the other side wall to an extent sufficient to preventaccidental displacement of sheets impaled on said prongs when said backsections are in partly open position, said back sections being freelymovable from said partly open position to a fully open position,permitting removal of sheets or impalement of sheets on said prongswithout manipulation of said latch.

BENJAMIN SCHLOSSER.

